Sanford-Good Samaritan merger vote scheduled for Tuesday

A decision could come Tuesday that would pave the way for The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society to become part of Sanford Health.

The Good Samaritan membership is expected to vote on allowing the merger to move forward, pending regulatory approval.

If approved, it would create a 47,000-person organization with a presence in 24 states.

Sanford CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft said earlier this year that he expected the merger would come together in 2018.

“I want to see the potential to complement what we have now, so there is enhanced economic impact. As its own line item, its own business model nationally is going through a tough phase, but we’re not coming at it like acquiring a distressed business,” Krabbenhoft said in March. “We’re coming at it as though we’re still creating Sanford. Sanford is not done coming out of the womb yet.”